Morgan Dufseth Accepts Position at UAF

Morgan Dufseth has accepted a position with University of Alaska Fairbanks; she will replace Derek Miller as the assistant to the chancellor. Her last day at Statewide will be Jan. 27.

Dufseth was with the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs for almost three years and will always cherish her time spent working with Dan Julius and all of his direct reports. In fact, that statement could be made about everyone at Statewide. Although she will miss her colleagues at the System Office terribly, she said this new opportunity will be an interesting and welcomed challenge.

You’ll still bump into Morgan around campus and at local cross country skiing and running events (although she’ll be in costume for the Midnight Sun Run, so you’ll just have to keep an eye out for the craziest getup in the crowd)! Best of luck, Morgan!

Cathy Ewing moves from Student Services to PMO

Dec. 19, 2011

Business Analyst
Program Management Office

This position identifies alternatives to improve business processes. The position provides initial business analysis of large projects, documents pathways to change, and is part of the team that ensures their successful implementation.

Before joining the Program Management Office, Ewing was the UA Student Services Manager, responsible for coordinating systemwide needs for the Financial Aid Offices and UA's outreach to students from second through ninth grade.

Last year she was presented with one of four "Make Students Count" awards by President Gamble. She has more than 20 years of experience leading non-profit organizations, including developing strategic plans, analyzing business opportunities and acting as a spokesperson for various industries.

Ewing is originally from Colorado but has lived in New Hampshire and Ohio as well. “I am lucky to have lived in so many parts of the U.S. from the west to the east coast to the heartland and finally the great north. After living here for three years, I can say that winter is my favorite season.”

Ewing holds a bachelor’s degree in Business from the University of Colorado – Boulder. In her off-hours she enjoys hiking, biking, skiing, writing and reading.

Welcome Karen Ben-Israel

Jan. 4, 2012

Data Research Assistant
UA Foundation

Karen Ben-Isreal joined the UA Foundation staff to assist in maintaining records in the donor database Raisers Edge related to phonathons, annual giving appeals, alumni communications and university relations mailings.

Ben-Isreal had been mainly working as a barista for over 10 years. She's excited to transition to a more stable and long-term position with the UA Foundation.

Born in Michigan, Ben-Isreal moved with her Air Force family to several states before the age of 10. Her family lived in Okinawa, Japan, from 1994-1997. In 1997, her family moved to Alaska. She graduated from North Pole High School in 2001. She attended UAF from 2003-2008, where she studied psychology and philosophy.

She is married to Levi Ben-Israel. She enjoys yoga, traveling, reading and napping in laundry with her cat, Foxy Lady.

Matt Cooper Joins General Counsel's Office

Dec. 5, 2011

Associate General Counsel
General Counsel's Office

Matt Cooper is the new associate general counsel, replacing the position left vacant when Mike Hostina assumed the duties of General Counsel following Roger Brunner's retirement.

Cooper was in private practice at Guess & Rudd for the last eight years, and was a partner for the last two years.

He was born in Seattle and grew up in Fairbanks, attending high school at Lathrop. He attended college at the University of Puget Sound and law school at the University of Washington, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in politics and government and his Juris Doctorate. Cooper is a member of both the Washington State and Alaska bar associations.

Cooper's wife Amy teaches accounting at UAF. They have two children – Oskar, who is almost 3, and Clara, who just turned 1. Other interests include flying, kayaking, packrafting, long-distance snowmachine trips, and generally enjoying time with family and friends.

W. Duncan Fraser Named Senior Desktop Technician

Nov. 21, 2011

Senior Desktop TechnicianOIT Desktop Support

Duncan Fraser works for OIT Desktop IT Support, where he focuses on Apple OSX. He worked for OIT Desktop Support as a student employee while attending UAF.

Originally from Fairbanks, Fraser attend college locally, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science. A Master of Science in computer science is in progress.

Fraser is a soccer player of 18 years. Of special interest to Fraser is research and development in security and application programming, as well as system engineering.

Margie Karl Joints HR

Nov. 14, 2011

Tax Accountant
Statewide Human Resources

Margie Karl is returning to UA after working for UAF during the 1990s. She began as an administrative assistant for the Center for Health & Counseling and then moved to Disability Services, where she worked until graduating from UAF.

Karl received an accounting degree from UAF in 1997. After graduation she worked for Cook & Haugeberg in Fairbanks and became a Certified Public Accountant. For the past 10 years she has been self employed, providing tax and accounting services.

Karl was born in Oregon, and has also lived in Idaho and Colorado. She enjoys biking, fishing, gardening and skiing. She also likes to spend time with friends and family. Her daughter is a sophomore at UAF and son is a senior in high school.

Kathleen Miner Joins University Relations

Jan. 6, 2012.

Executive Assistant to Carla Beam and Chris Christensen
University Relations and State Relations

Kathleen Miner has recently joined UA as executive assistant to Carla Beam, University Relations vice president and UA Foundation president; and Chris Christensen, associate vice president for State Relations.

She joins UA after eight years with Alaska Pacific University as executive assistant to the chief financial officer and the human resources coordinator.

Miner was born and raised in Connecticut and moved to Alaska in 1993, where she has raised her family.

Dudlee Pense Joins HR

Nov. 7, 2011

HR Systems Specialist
Statewide Human Resources

As a HR systems specialist, Dudlee Pense has rotating duties. Sometimes she is the HR Systems help desk on-call, or produces error reports for HR or data entry for SW. There are also other tasks relating to HR systems and payroll as assigned – she is still learning!

Pense started at UAF full time in June 2009 at the Geophysical Institute. She began as an administrative assisant in human resources at the GI and moved to payroll technician.

Pense was born in Salina, Kansas, but grew up in Oklahoma, Utah, South Dakota, North Dakota and Wyoming. She arrived in Fairbanks in July 1980 from California, although had previously lived in Anchorage from 1971-1975. She has an associate's degree from Hartnell Junior College in California.

Her husband Doug is a helicopter pilot/check airman for AAR Airlift Group. Pense enjoys gardening, crafts such as stamping, scrapbooking, quilting, sewing, knitting and crocheting as well as reading and computers.

Risk Services Welcomes Diana Varieur

Jan. 23, 2012

Risk Management Analyst
System Office of Risk Services

Diana Varieur is responsible for the management of UA's insurance programs, contracts and certificates of insurance.

She spent the last 10 years in the Dallas/Fort Worth area in commercial insurance and other administrative rolls. She was born in Harlingen, Texas, and grew up in Texas and Arkansas. Varieur earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in court reporting in Amarillo, Texas.

Varieur moved to Alaska in 2010 with her husband. She has been happily married for 21 years and has one daughter and one wonderful grandson. Her hobbies include fishing, archery, reading, crocheting and sewing.

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